Shillong, Jun 24: The fifth edition of the Sohra International Half Marathon will be held on 4th September 2026, the Meghalaya State Olympic Association announced today.
The race, which also includes a 10km event and 5km fun run, has been growing year on year and touched 10,550 runners in 2025. Nearing capacity for a safe and fun event, the MSOA has decided to cap the total number of runners at 11,000 this year.
The event is a collaborative effort between the MSOA, the Meghalaya Athletics Association and the Directorate of Sports & Youth Affairs. Besides being certified by World Athletics, it will be registered with the AIMS (Association of International Marathons and Distance Races).
Registration, which will be done through the MSOA website, will open on 1st July, with the last date (subject to the 11,000 runners cap) being 15th August. The budget is around Rs 3 crore, which is similar to last year’s figure, Director of Sports & Youth Affairs Dikki D Shira said.
“Registration with AIMS will take the race to another level,” MSOA Working President John F Kharshiing said at a press conference today.
The route will be the same but there have been slight changes due to remeasurement of the course.
The race categories, for males and females, remain the same – 21km Elite Open (18 years and above), 21km Open Meghalayan (18 years and above), 10km Open (18-40 years), 10km Open (40-55 years), 10km Open (55 years and above) and 5km Fun Run (10 years and above). Special prizes will be awarded to runners above 55 years who finish the 21km event and those over 60 who complete the 10km race. There will also be gifts for the first 200 Fun Run finishers (100 male, 100 female) 14 years and under.
Prize money hasn’t changed, except for the elite categories, which have been doubled to Rs 3 lakh for the winners, Rs 2 lakh for second-placed finishers and Rs 1 lakh for those who come third. Consolation prizes of Rs 10,000 each will go to those from fourth to eighth. This, along with the registration with AIMS (which lends the race added stature) is expected to draw better runners from around the country and abroad, MSOA General Secretary Finely L Pariat, who is also Secretary of the MAA, said.
The 21km Meghalaya open will receive Rs 50,000, 10km Meghalaya 18-40 category winners Rs 30,000, 10km Meghalaya 40-55 and 55-plus category winners Rs 25,000.
Registration fees apply for the different categories – Rs 2,000 for the elite category, Rs 1,000 for the Meghalaya open, Rs 200 for the Meghalaya 10km and Rs 100 for the fun run (free for those from Sohra).
MSOA Treasurer Ksan Kupar Warjri advised those interested in participating to make sure they fill the registration form correctly under the proper category. Registration will only be complete after payment of the fee is made, he added.
(File photo)
